Knock Knock

Remember those wonderfully silly knock knock jokes we used to tell as kids? They were a way of life for my friends and me. My favorite went like this:

Knock knock.

Who’s there?

Honey bee.

Honey bee who?

Honey bee a dear and bring me some chocolate!

Of course, I could change out that last part to anything, but my favorite thing in the world was and still is chocolate. I find it refreshing that some things just don’t change.

But, as you might have guessed, the reason for this article is not to reveal my favorite knock knock joke to you. Instead, it’s to share a thought about how we manage our thoughts. And yes, this comes from paying attention to how we respond to the opening line of a knock knock joke.

Notice we don’t say, “Come in!” but rather we ask, “Who’s there?”

What if we applied this question to our thought life?

What if, rather than allowing all the thoughts that try to get into our minds to just come on in, we stop and ask “Who’s there?” and really decide if we want those thoughts knocking around in our minds or not?

What if we took the time to really notice our thoughts, and in so doing, we DECIDE which ones can come in to stay and which ones we don’t even open the door for?

We have that power if we choose it. Just because a thought shows up and knocks on our head, doesn’t mean that we have to let it in. We can turn it away. But, it takes time and it takes practice…and there will never be a better time to start than right now.

To begin, get quiet and still and pay attention to what you are thinking. (It helps me to write down my thoughts as I become aware of them.) Really notice your thoughts and when you notice them, ask “Who’s there?” And if the response is anything other than a thought that will empower you to move your life in the direction you desire, don’t let it in. Instead, replace it with a thought that does empower you. (It helps me to have a list of these positive/helpful thoughts handy at all times.)You CAN be the manager of what you spend your time thinking about.

As you do this, above all, be gentle and patient! The process of noticing and becoming aware of what you are thinking doesn’t happen quickly, but it’s worth it for sure. When you manage what you think about, your life changes in immeasurable ways. Think about that!

Knock knock…

I’d love for you to leave a comment or share this article. What the heck, tell me your favorite knock knock joke!